Some well-meaning Reformed Christians rightly understand how problematic “church calendar” observance is, given Scripture’s teaching on the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW) and the Sabbath. In some sense they agree with the Puritan and Westminsterian position that man-made holy days are unwarranted by Scripture. And yet, while not wanting to entirely abandon them, two sorts… Read More Secular Holy Days?
Having already seen that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the first day of the week as the one day in seven to be set aside specifically for worship, and that his Apostles maintained this practice after him—another question may be raised: When does the Lord’s Day begin? Does it begin sometime the night before, as… Read More Three Reasons the Lord’s Day Begins at Midnight
It seems most consonant to the Law and Light of Nature, and Scripture reason, that (unless God otherwise determine it himself) the beginning of the Day should be in the morning, that is, after midnight, rather than the evening before. If we consider the evening before, or the evening after, there will be perpetual danger of encroachment either upon the religious time, or the worldly time, to the prejudice of one of them; but especially of religion in most men.… Read More Midnight Sabbath and the Light of Nature
Christ was laid in the grave on Friday night, being the preparation to the great Sabbath, which followed. The women who rested and came not to the grave till Sunday morning (to use our known names) are said to rest according to the commandment—as if coming sooner had not been resting according to it. His lying in the grave must be accounted to be some time before the Friday ended, otherwise he could not have been three days in the grave. And therefore a part of Friday’s night is reckoned to the first day, then the whole Sabbath or Saturday is the second, and lastly a part of the night, to wit, from twelve o’clock at night, belonging to the first day or Sunday, stands for the third. And so he arose that morning, while it was yet dark, at which time, or thereabouts, the women came to the grave, as soon as they could because of the Sabbath, and therefore their seventh day Sabbath ended then, and the first day Sabbath began.… Read More When Does the Sabbath Begin?
This is the main thing wherein the Sabbath is to be sanctified, and wherein it represents Heaven, to be abstracted from the world, and to be living above in our spirits, eminently ravished in Spirit, as abstracted from things, we are to be taken up with on other days. The frame of a Sabbath should be a kind of ravishment, wherein not only we are not taken up with working our ordinary callings, but we do go about prayer and other spiritual duties in a more heavenly way than on other days, and that with a difference in our frame, being more elevated and spiritual, we should be other men in more divine contemplation. This is the main thing called for in sanctifying the Sabbath.… Read More How to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day
William Attersoll (d. 1640), A Commentary on the Book of Numbers, pp. 455-458. [1] “And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two… Read More God’s Special Presence in Public Worship
God Cancelled Easter. So Should We. By a Concerned NAPARC Minister April 6th, 2020 The threat of the Coronavirus has closed countless churches. The Lord has done this, and we ought to respond with humility and godly fear (Amos 3:6-8). As we reflect on God’s judgments we also ought not miss his timing: the public… Read More God Cancelled Easter: So Should We
William Ames Marrow of Sacred Divinity, Book 2, ch. 15. Of the Time of Worship. 1. The most solemn time of worship is now the first day of every week which is called the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10; 1 Cor. 16:2). 2. And it is called the Lord’s Day by the same reason that the… Read More The Time of Divine Worship
Samuel Willard Complete Body of Divinity, pp. 652-654. Question 3. Wherein does the morality of [the Sabbath] consist? That we may take up a right conception of this matter, we must call to mind, what it is for a command to be moral, according as it has already been stated; namely, not merely as it… Read More Sabbath in the Light of Nature
Wilhelmus à Brakel The Christian’s Reasonable Service Vol. 3, pp. 171-176. Objection 4: The Sabbath Is Detrimental to the Gospel. “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that… Read More Is the Sabbath Optional? An Evaluation of Romans 14 and Colossians 2
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